how much does your baby eat?

mary1978

I have a little boy, almost 7 months old now.

He started solids about 5 weeks ago and still hardly eats anything.
Eg Breakfast - maybe 3 teaspoons porridge and 2 teaspoons yoghurt
Lunch -3 spoons soup and then a piece of cheese (maybe 1inch square in size). Sucked on some broccoli florets but dount he actually ate much of it.
Dinner - 1/5th of an avocado and 6 teaspoons apple sauce.

He is my 1st baby so not really sure how much he is mean't to eat. Just friends with babies of the similar age seem to eat more than twice or three times what he eats...

He is breast fed and still having lots of bf's every day.

And he is on 50th centile for weight. Happy little guy and no other issues.

Just wondering what others babies are eating? Maybe I am a bad cook?! Should I be forcing it? I am pretty relaxed and if he says no more I dont push him / force him to eat...

Thanks!

littlemissfixit

Definately dont force anything, thats my opinion, but babies know their own appetite and as long as they're offered a variety of stuff they will eat what they need.
My little guy only started eating substancially between 7 and 8 months, and even now I cant expect him to be eating the same all the time, sometimes he just picks at a few bits, other times he eats everything thats put in front of him. When I am not sure if he is full or just not fond of what Im offering, I finish the meal with something I know he really likes ie. yogurt and if he is not too interested I know he has had enough!
To give you an idea here is what my 8mth old ate today, but as I said, he has only started eating more recently:
Breasfed
Breaki: 1 wheetabix 2oz formula (ate about 3/4)
4oz Formula
Lunch: 2 finger size chicken breast, 1/4 tomato, 1tsp houmous, couple spoons fruit puree.
4oz formula
Snack: Some kiwi & banana
Dinner: Mash with mince and ratatouille
5oz formula
Will have a dreamfeed later tonight

pwurple

"Food before 1 is fun" is the saying.
At that age it's just getting used to different tastes and playing with dexterity of getting things to their mouth really. Milk should still be their main food.

We were on the BASELINE study where we were monitoring everything that she ate at that age so I have a record of every meal for the 4 months from 6 to 10 months. It was one or two spoons per meal. Sometimes nothing at all.

I wouldn't force it. No need to stress either yourself or the baby.

cyning

My little girl is the same age, and still breastfed too. For breakfast normally 2 spoons of porridge and fruit, lunch a yogurt and a half a rusk which she only eats half of, and dinner whatever we are having- today it was chicken, potato, broccoli and sweetcorn. Like that she sucked on a bit of broccoli and ate maybe 4/5 spoons of the rest mashed up.

Honestly i dont worry she is flying in general, somedays she eats nothing more days she eats more.

2rkehij30qtza5

My baby boy is 5.5 months old.
He eats the following:
7am - Aptimal hungry milk 200ml bottle
9am- 6 heaped Tablespoons Milupa Baby Ceral mixed with formula (cool boiled water to drink)
12pm - 200ml Aptimal level 1 milk
2pm - 3 Annabell Karmel Silicon Cubes full of something like this (carrots, parsnips, squash and sweet potato all puréed together). Water to drink (cooled boiled)
3pm - 200ml Aptimal level 1
6pm - 2 Ligas mashed and formula added to make a paste plus a Cow&Gate pot of fruit
7.30/8pm- 200mls Aptimal hungry milk
10pm- dream feed of 200ml Aptimal hungry milk or if no dream feed he will wake around 11pm/12am roaring for a feed.

So for a 5.5 month old he eats a lot but he is a very big boy weighing 24ibs and he is very, very tall for his age (according to doctor). He is in the 99.5 percentile and perfectly in proportion re: weight and height. He wears 12-18 month clothes!

Oral Slang

My little one is 15 months & is still very up & down in what she eats. When she first starting eating (baby led), she ate loads, but since about 10 or 11 months, she started eating way less for me. Some days she'll eat loads & then for the next few days she'll eat very little. She's also still breastfed (evenings, nights & mornings while I'm at work). Some days I worry about it, but I know when she's hungry as she'll raid my presses for raisins, goodies bars, cereal etc., so on the days she doesn't eat much I don't stress too much.

My child won't eat by Carlos Gonzalez is supposed to be a great book for putting your mind at ease about how much your baby/toddler etc should be eating. I've ordered it on Amazon.

movingsucks

Heya, mine is almost 9 months old and she's only getting interested in food now so I wouldn't worry.

Rose35

my little man is 5.5 months old and we started solids about a month ago, he is now in creche but they tell me he eats well, so based on my experience at home:
4am ish - 5oz bottle
7am - 3oz bottle
8.30 - cereal (rusk, baby rice etc) maybe 7-8 spoons
9.00 - 2oz bottle
10.30 - another bottle(think he is too young to be weaned off bottle so try to give him bottles throughout the day) 4oz
12.30 - dinner (creche introduced this time so try to keep to their schedule) pureed potato/veg etc. drink juice from sippy cup.
2.00 - bottle (around 5 oz) and a fruit pot.
4.30 - 1oz bottle maybe 2oz, its his tired time, try to give some rice or rusk or pureed fruit around 6.00 and a bottle to polish it off and then bed.

he eats well, but can have a day when he is only interested in bottles, he is around 17ibs very active always in good form thankfully, took to weaning well.

I wouldnt stress about it, its the creche really that gives him a routine, before i went back to work i fed him when he was hungry, but i do find if he is really hungry especially in morning he only wants his bottle and isnt interested in anything solid.

Gee_G

mary1978 wrote: »

I have a little boy, almost 7 months old now.

He started solids about 5 weeks ago and still hardly eats anything.
Eg Breakfast - maybe 3 teaspoons porridge and 2 teaspoons yoghurt
Lunch -3 spoons soup and then a piece of cheese (maybe 1inch square in size). Sucked on some broccoli florets but dount he actually ate much of it.
Dinner - 1/5th of an avocado and 6 teaspoons apple sauce.

He is my 1st baby so not really sure how much he is mean't to eat. Just friends with babies of the similar age seem to eat more than twice or three times what he eats...

He is breast fed and still having lots of bf's every day.

And he is on 50th centile for weight. Happy little guy and no other issues.

Just wondering what others babies are eating? Maybe I am a bad cook?! Should I be forcing it? I am pretty relaxed and if he says no more I dont push him / force him to eat...

Thanks!

As everyone else said,I wouldn't worry
Fair play to you for getting him to take soup, my little man won't eat anything that is runny consistency. I had to start making his food a bit thicker.
He is a great eater thank god, has 3 maybe 4 8oz bottles and 3 meals every day. Loves his fruit and Veg.

mary1978

great. thanks all. that is reassuring!

lounakin

Mine eats hardly anything, she's a little underweight, I cannot believe the amount of food described here! She seems to eat MUCH less than the 5 months old on the thread and she's 9 months.
Here's what she gets:
7: nurses on one side for 5 minutes
8: one or 2 teaspoons of cereal
9:30: nurses on the other side for a few minutes
11:30: quick nurse after nap
12: about 5 tea spoons of pureed vegetables, a baby yoghurt or the equivalent size in fruit
13:30: nurses before nap
16:30: Started her on formula, she has 10 or 20ml only!! One baby cookie
6:30: same as lunch
7: nurses for longer.
midnight and 4 am: small feeds.

I'm trying to increase the food so perhaps she'll sleep through the night but she's simply not hungry... unless it's the middle of the night

Sligo1

lounakin wrote: »

Mine eats hardly anything, she's a little underweight, I cannot believe the amount of food described here! She seems to eat MUCH less than the 5 months old on the thread and she's 9 months.
Here's what she gets:
7: nurses on one side for 5 minutes
8: one or 2 teaspoons of cereal
9:30: nurses on the other side for a few minutes
11:30: quick nurse after nap
12: about 5 tea spoons of pureed vegetables, a baby yoghurt or the equivalent size in fruit
13:30: nurses before nap
16:30: Started her on formula, she has 10 or 20ml only!! One baby cookie
6:30: same as lunch
7: nurses for longer.
midnight and 4 am: small feeds.

I'm trying to increase the food so perhaps she'll sleep through the night but she's simply not hungry... unless it's the middle of the night

Hi lounakin, without meaning to cause concern or worry, have you or would you perhaps check your little girls eating habits with your GP? I'm definitely not a know it all when it comes to babies... Probably more of a know nothing TBH.... But in the grand scheme of things the eating habits you describe seem very minimal. I know all babies are different and one cannot expect one baby to eat the same as another. However, as I said.... And as you have already acknowledged she hardly eats anything.

Hope you don't think I'm a nose bag or a know it all.... And for all I know she's a healthy happy little girl... But it wouldn't hurt to explain the eating habits to a GP if you haven't done so already.

lounakin

Sligo1 wrote: »

Hi lounakin, without meaning to cause concern or worry, have you or would you perhaps check your little girls eating habits with your GP? I'm definitely not a know it all when it comes to babies... Probably more of a know nothing TBH.... But in the grand scheme of things the eating habits you describe seem very minimal. I know all babies are different and one cannot expect one baby to eat the same as another. However, as I said.... And as you have already acknowledged she hardly eats anything.

Hope you don't think I'm a nose bag or a know it all.... And for all I know she's a healthy happy little girl... But it wouldn't hurt to explain the eating habits to a GP if you haven't done so already.

She had her 9 months check-up and she's in the 9 to 25 percentile for weight and everything else was perfect so nurse just said to watch her weight and give her cereal in the morning... we're working towards giving her more food but we can't force her.

Sligo1

lounakin wrote: »

She had her 9 months check-up and she's in the 9 to 25 percentile for weight and everything else was perfect so nurse just said to watch her weight and give her cereal in the morning... we're working towards giving her more food but we can't force her.

Ah ok. And yea absolutely cant force her to eat. I Hope you don't think I was interfering. Must be a great feeling to get to 9 months and be told your LO is perfect and healthy. We've a few more months to go till the 9 month check up but hopefully we get the same feedback

lounakin

Sligo1 wrote: »

Ah ok. And yea absolutely cant force her to eat. I Hope you don't think I was interfering. Must be a great feeling to get to 9 months and be told your LO is perfect and healthy. We've a few more months to go till the 9 month check up but hopefully we get the same feedback

Not at all, thank you for your concern! Actually I felt horrible when the nurse said she was a little underweight, but feeling bad isn't going to help so I focus on other things. I also believe she's able to know when she's hungry and I trust her to eat to satisfaction. I don't believe in upping calorie intake at all costs because we are all different and both her dad and me are low weight. Still... I was concerned. but now that I see the difference in diet I'm going back to slightly worried!

ceadaoin.

lounakin wrote: »

Mine eats hardly anything, she's a little underweight, I cannot believe the amount of food described here! She seems to eat MUCH less than the 5 months old on the thread and she's 9 months.
Here's what she gets:
7: nurses on one side for 5 minutes
8: one or 2 teaspoons of cereal
9:30: nurses on the other side for a few minutes
11:30: quick nurse after nap
12: about 5 tea spoons of pureed vegetables, a baby yoghurt or the equivalent size in fruit
13:30: nurses before nap
16:30: Started her on formula, she has 10 or 20ml only!! One baby cookie
6:30: same as lunch
7: nurses for longer.
midnight and 4 am: small feeds.

I'm trying to increase the food so perhaps she'll sleep through the night but she's simply not hungry... unless it's the middle of the night

I hope you dont mind me saying this but have you tried offering her finger foods so she can explore new tastes and textures? I'd imagine purees are a bit boring and bland for a 9 month old! My daughter has always loved her food but around 9 months is when she really started eating decent amounts at each meal.

Sligo1

lounakin wrote: »

Not at all, thank you for your concern! Actually I felt horrible when the nurse said she was a little underweight, but feeling bad isn't going to help so I focus on other things. I also believe she's able to know when she's hungry and I trust her to eat to satisfaction. I don't believe in upping calorie intake at all costs because we are all different and both her dad and me are low weight. Still... I was concerned. but now that I see the difference in diet I'm going back to slightly worried!

Try not to worry. If they were happy with the 9 month check up the I'm sure all is ok! We have the opposite worry... I think my LO is eating waaaay too much! He's like a little puddin! I have to give him bottles at night as my breast milk wouldn't settle him. He takes 9-10 ounces per feed. And I worry he will become over weight! It's only natural to worry about our little ones... Just shows we love them

lounakin

Sligo1 wrote: »

Try not to worry. If they were happy with the 9 month check up the I'm sure all is ok! We have the opposite worry... I think my LO is eating waaaay too much! He's like a little puddin! I have to give him bottles at night as my breast milk wouldn't settle him. He takes 9-10 ounces per feed. And I worry he will become over weight! It's only natural to worry about our little ones... Just shows we love them

Wow that seems so much to me! But I breastfeed mine mostly so I'm sure she takes more from the breast than what I manage to express.
What weight is he? Mine is 7.2 kg, which is at the bottom but not over the worry line yet. She hasn't put on weight in 2 months but then again that's when we started weaning her and perhaps it takes a while to kick in!

Sligo1

lounakin wrote: »

Wow that seems so much to me! But I breastfeed mine mostly so I'm sure she takes more from the breast than what I manage to express.
What weight is he? Mine is 7.2 kg, which is at the bottom but not over the worry line yet. She hasn't put on weight in 2 months but then again that's when we started weaning her and perhaps it takes a while to kick in!

Mine was 5.5kg at 7 weeks and 6.8 kg at 12 weeks (although im not sure if this weight was correct - i think he may be more). He was 3.4kg when he was born and never lost any weight. I was breast feeding exclusively but had to start introducing bottles at night as he would feed of me continuously through the night. I didn't sleep for a month! Now when he feeds off me he feeds for about 45-50 minutes. Then he may need a small top up from me (about 15minutes) between feeds. Now starting to introduce bottles during the late afternoon as he is getting hungrier.

Positives of having a hungry baby: i got back to my pre pregnancy weight after 2 months!! .... And I had put on nearly 3 stone!!

pwurple

lounakin wrote: »

Wow that seems so much to me! But I breastfeed mine mostly so I'm sure she takes more from the breast than what I manage to express.
What weight is he? Mine is 7.2 kg, which is at the bottom but not over the worry line yet. She hasn't put on weight in 2 months but then again that's when we started weaning her and perhaps it takes a while to kick in!

Mine has always been in the 20 to 30th percentile as well for weight. We were a bit worried... As you would be. But we were told that the weight doesn't matter so much as progression. So they want to see some tiny increase every few weeks. No weight gain for two months is unusual. How are you weighing her? Is it always the same... No clothes, no nappy, on a baby scales? Or is it a bathroom scales or something?

I don't understand how the weaning would make a difference to her weight gain. When we started weaning we kept the same amount of milk feeds and added food. We didn't cut back the milk until she we was 12 months or so.

lounakin

pwurple wrote: »

Mine has always been in the 20 to 30th percentile as well for weight. We were a bit worried... As you would be. But we were told that the weight doesn't matter so much as progression. So they want to see some tiny increase every few weeks. No weight gain for two months is unusual. How are you weighing her? Is it always the same... No clothes, no nappy, on a baby scales? Or is it a bathroom scales or something?

I don't understand how the weaning would make a difference to her weight gain. When we started weaning we kept the same amount of milk feeds and added food. We didn't cut back the milk until she we was 12 months or so.

I'd weigh her on my bathroom scales but it's not a very good way, however it's obvious she hasn't put on anything, but she has grown so that's probably why. Also the day I took her to the nurse I was just out of 24 hours of gastro and I'm sure the milk supply dropped and she hadn't had much milk. I'm not sure how the weaning process could influence her weight but it felt to me like she wasn't drinking as much milk after a small feed. I used to nurse her before the meal but then she wouldn't eat at all so now I do the opposite.

Ms2011

10 month old, bottlefed, weighs 18lbs (8.1kg).

7am - Wheatabix / Ready Brek / Cheesy Scrambled Egg / Butter Fried Banana etc.

8am - 6oz bottle

12pm - 6oz bottle

3pm - Veg in a Cheese Sauce / Meat with Rice & Veg / Pasta with Veg / Beef Casserole etc.

5:30pm - Baked Apple with Raisins / Fruit Puree with a Rusk / Yoghurt etc.

7pm - 6oz bottle

In between he can have Heinz finger biscuits, toast or some of anything we are eating.

cyning

Ms2011 what's a butter fried banana if you don't mind me asking?

Ms2011

cyning wrote: »

Ms2011 what's a butter fried banana if you don't mind me asking?

Knob of butter melted in a pot, chop in a banana & a pinch of cinnamon, stir for 2-3 mins, added 2 tablespoons of orange juice, stir for another 2-3mins. Leave for a couple of minute to cool & serve.
J loves it & it's a bit more exciting than just mashed up banana :-)

cyning

Ms2011 wrote: »

Knob of butter melted in a pot, chop in a banana & a pinch of cinnamon, stir for 2-3 mins, added 2 tablespoons of orange juice, stir for another 2-3mins. Leave for a couple of minute to cool & serve.
J loves it & it's a bit more exciting than just mashed up banana :-)

Must try that C loves her bananas

solas111

When they're in their teens and twenties they'll eat you out of house and home.

Rose35

Ms2011 wrote: »

10 month old, bottlefed, weighs 18lbs (8.1kg).

7am - Wheatabix / Ready Brek / Cheesy Scrambled Egg / Butter Fried Banana etc.

8am - 6oz bottle

12pm - 6oz bottle

3pm - Veg in a Cheese Sauce / Meat with Rice & Veg / Pasta with Veg / Beef Casserole etc.

5:30pm - Baked Apple with Raisins / Fruit Puree with a Rusk / Yoghurt etc.

7pm - 6oz bottle

In between he can have Heinz finger biscuits, toast or some of anything we are eating.

Creche told me they dont introduce eggs until baby is two years old............ I see you give your 10mth old a scrambled egg. Im so confused now with the no dairy until they are one and no eggs till they are two!!!

Xdancer

Rose35 wrote: »

Creche told me they dont introduce eggs until baby is two years old............ I see you give your 10mth old a scrambled egg. Im so confused now with the no dairy until they are one and no eggs till they are two!!!

My daughter's pediatrician told me I could introduce egg and dairy from 9 months, and as of 12 months she could have pretty much anything we eat.

cyning

Rose35 wrote: »

Creche told me they dont introduce eggs until baby is two years old............ I see you give your 10mth old a scrambled egg. Im so confused now with the no dairy until they are one and no eggs till they are two!!!

I was told no eggs until 6 months and dairy is fine from 6 month in cooking, sauces etc but not as their main drink until 1... Conflicting information and babies seem to go hand in hand. My 7 month old loves her scrambled eggs too

Rose35

Last friday a new girl in creche gave my little man a yoghurt (dairy), it didnt do any harm but i just don't know what to believe anymore, oh and my son is only 6 months.

Gee_G

Rose35 wrote: »

Last friday a new girl in creche gave my little man a yoghurt (dairy), it didnt do any harm but i just don't know what to believe anymore, oh and my son is only 6 months.

Yeah I was also told that you could sTart introducing dairy in cooking etc from 6 Months. And eggs from 6 months too. We haven't started it just yet!x

littlemissfixit

Was told to wait to 1yr for egg whites with my first, as a result she wont touch eggs at all, she became fussy from about 1yr so anything that wasnt very common to her then, she has always refused to eat since. My son got eggs from 7mths and he has been fine, and loves it and I love it cause they're so handy! They both got yogurt and milk in cooking/cereal from 6-7 mths too.
I think if allergies are prevalent in your family, you should take more care, otherwise just look out for signs of upset and if there arent any they must be fine.

lounakin

There are so many contradictory studies about introducing foods! Some say introducing dairy before 1 will increase chances of allergies later, some say it decreases them.

Ms2011

Rose35 wrote: »

Creche told me they dont introduce eggs until baby is two years old............ I see you give your 10mth old a scrambled egg. Im so confused now with the no dairy until they are one and no eggs till they are two!!!

I know, it is v.confusing as advice seems to change from week to week almost.
The advice I got was milk is fine from 6 months & if there is no history off egg allergies then 6 months is fine also.
It used to be recommend to leave eggs until 1 to prevent allergies but have since found it makes no difference, if you're allergic then you're allergic.